03 November, 2008

Here, for your viewing pleasure, are a few photos of the latest VO Gentleman bike . The frame is fillet brazed and assembled by Ahren Rogers. The drive train uses a SA 5-speed hub and a Nervar 50.4mm BCD crank; Pablo found the pedals. The fenders, chain case, bars, etc, are all from Velo Orange. The front rack is custom. This is, in short, a true constructeur bicycle. I think Pablo will enjoy this elegant machine.

I really think the front porteur racks look better and more authentic when, as in this case, the support legs go to the outside of the rack, rather than part of the way out as is the case with the current VO racks. That being said, obviously the latter are very nice indeed.

I have a Champion FLyer on My Cross Check. No problems, only benefits. It is a B17, but with a bit of shock absorption. My bars are lower than my saddle.And, that is a pretty bike. I bet the chian case is the sort of thing that looks even better in person, and with a bit of patina.mb

I'm all for chain cases, but I'm puzzled by the half chain case. With fenders, I assume it's supposeed to be an all-weather bike, but then why not continue the case and protect the whole thing? And where is the mud flap?

No one actually needs a chaincase anymore, unless you live below sea level and never take your bike indoors.

A hundred years ago chain cases were serious equipment, in an age when bicycle chains were made from lesser metals and lubricated with oil.

Actually their invention may have had more to do with epicyclic transmissions like the sunbeam two speed which had a single lubrication system for chain and transmission. Nowadays a chain case is really just a more attractive chain cover.

And I don't think that dutch full chain cases really protect chains from the elements, if anything they encourage chain neglect. Every chain case I've ever opened in the states and in germany revealed a dirty rusty chain.

The point of full chain cases is not to protect the chain, although it may achieve some of that, but to protect your clothing. In countries where these full chain covers are popular, people ride in normal street clothes all the time and they need to stay clean. That's all there is to it. Pants clips alone don't cut it.

I'm surprised chaincases haven't caught on with the the OEMs and/or people with an affinity for deep-V rims. Room for stickers and logos seems highly prized, perhaps V-O needs to offer these in several powdercoat colors? Kidding!

I had that exact chaincase installed on a touring-geometry fixed-free bike from Toronto's Urban Cycle. Something like this: http://ucycle.com/node/152

The guys in the shop thought it was great. Also keep my laces and clothes out of the fixed drive-train. Very important! Only grumble is that I had to tape the inside of it to calm the noise of chain bounce. Anyone have comments on this noise with chaincases?

patates frites asks:How did you remove the black paint off your Zefal pump?

I sanded it with 3 grades of sandpaper, first with 100, then 200, then 250, I think. I followed that up with steel wool. Up to that point, I'd been thinking of rattle-can painting it with a gloss black to match my VO Randonneur.

When I got done steel wooling it, I thought it looked pretty good that way, and I'd have had to go shopping for paint, but I had metal polish in the house, so I thought why not try it with a little silver polish, see how it turns out. I thought it was good enough to leave it; and I use this pump on 3 other bicycles, and the shiny finish matches their Honjo and Berthoud fenders better than gloss black would have done.

I love the concept of chain guards, but if VO is gonna do it, study up on the masters. The Swedes vintage bikes usually get it bang on--stylish, minimal, but enough to save your pants. That prototype vo thing is horrrrrid. ;-)

Scroll 65% down this page to understand what a chain guard should look like: